Euphorbia plant named ‘Bonpridepcom’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Euphorbia  plant named ‘Bonpridepcom’, characterized by its compact and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; strong stems that resist breakage; dark green-colored leaves; inflorescences with dark red purple-colored flower bracts; good post-production longevity; and relative tolerance to low production temperatures.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch×Euphorbia cornastra.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Bonpridepcom’.

Cross-referenced to related applications: Filed: U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/387,559 Filed: U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/387,561.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Euphorbia plant, an interspecific hybrid botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch×Euphorbia cornastra, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bonpridepcom’.

The new Euphorbia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch×Euphorbia cornastra ‘Bonpripicom’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/387,562. The new Euphorbia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant from within a population of plants of ‘Bonpripicom’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia in January, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Euphorbia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia since February, 2005, has shown that the unique features of this new Euphorbia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Euphorbia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bonpridepcom’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bonpridepcom’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Euphorbia:

-   -   1. Compact and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Strong stems that resist breakage.     -   5. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   6. Inflorescences with dark red purple-colored flower bracts.     -   7. Good post-production longevity.     -   8. Relatively tolerant to low production temperatures.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Euphorbia differed from plants of the parent, ‘Bonpripicom’, primarily in flower bract color as plants of ‘Bonpripicom’ have darker-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Euphorbia can be compared to plants of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch×Euphorbia cornastra ‘Bonprilipcom’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/387,559. Plants of the new Euphorbia differ from plants of ‘Bonprilipcom’ primarily in flower bract color as plants of ‘Bonprilipcom’ have pink-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Euphorbia can be compared to plants of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch×Euphorbia cornastra ‘Bonpripapcom’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/387,561. Plants of the new Euphorbia differ from plants of ‘Bonpripapcom’ primarily in flower bract color as plants of ‘Bonpripapcom’ have light pink-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Euphorbia can also be compared to plants of the Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch×Euphorbia cornastra ‘Eckcory’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,849. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Euphorbia differed from plants of ‘Eckcory’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Euphorbia were more compact and had shorter         internodes than plants of ‘Eckcory’.     -   2. Plants of the new Euphorbia had broader leaves than plants of         ‘Eckcory’.     -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Euphorbia had more flower         bracts than inflorescences of plants of ‘Eckcory’.     -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Euphorbia had longer and         broader flower bracts than inflorescences of plants of         ‘Eckcory’.     -   5. Inflorescences of plants of the new Euphorbia had         darker-colored flower bracts than inflorescences of plants of         ‘Eckcory’.     -   6. Inflorescences of plants of the new Euphorbia had more         cyathia than inflorescences of plants of ‘Eckcory’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Euphorbia plant. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Euphorbia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bonpridepcom’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Bonpridepcom’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and the following observations and measurements describe plants grown in containers in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan during the autumn in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial Euphorbia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants were four months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fourth Edition, 2001, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex     Klotzsch×Euphorbia cornastra ‘Bonpridepcom’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Euphorbia     pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch×Euphorbia cornastra ‘Bonpripicom’,     disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 12/387,562. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at 20° C. to             25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at 15° C. to             20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit and form.—Compact and mounded plant habit;             inverted triangle; inflorescences positioned above the             foliar plane; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 15.4 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 21 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching             habit, about five lateral branches develop per plant;             pinching is typically not required. Length: About 11 cm.             Diameter: About 2.9 mm. Internode length: About 5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             146B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 8.6 cm. Width: About 5 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Venation             pattern: Pinnate, reticulate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing leaves, upper             surface: Close to 147B tinted with close to N57B. Developing             leaves, lower surface: Close to 147C tinted with close to             N57D. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A to             137B; venation, close to 145C. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 138A to 138B; venation, close to 145C.             Petiole: Length: About 2.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.9 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: Close to 146B tinted with close to between             200C and 186C. Color, lower surface: Close to 146B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound             corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the             cyathia; inflorescences positioned above the foliage.         -   Quantity of inflorescence.—One inflorescence develops per             lateral branch.         -   Fragrance.—Not detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants typically flower during the             autumn and winter in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan; inflorescence             initiation and development can also be induced under             artificial long nyctoperiod/short photoperiod conditions.             Early flowering habit, plants flower about 50 days under             natural season conditions in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan.         -   Post-production longevity.—Good post-production longevity;             plants of the new Euphorbia maintain good substance and             bract color for about seven weeks.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 18. Length,             largest bracts: About 7.3 cm. Width, largest bracts: About             3.6 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Aspect: Close to perpendicular to the stem axis.             Venation pattern: Pinnate, reticulate. Color: Developing or             transitional bracts, upper surface: Close to N57A.             Developing or transitional bracts, lower surface: Close to             N57C. Fully expanded bracts, upper surface: Close to N57B;             venation, close to 186A to 186B. Fully expanded bracts,             lower surface: Close to N57D; venation, close to 145B to             145C. Flower bract petiole: Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter:             About 1.4 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 144A tinted with             close to 185C. Color, lower surface: Close to 144A.         -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About 20. Diameter of cyathia             cluster: About 2 cm. Length, individual cyathium: About             5.9 mm. Width, individual cyathium: About 5.7 mm Shape,             individual cyathium: Globose. Color: Close to 146B.             Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: One. Size: About 3.6 mm by             1.8 mm. Color: Close to 151B; towards the apex, close to             60C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to 145B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: Few.             Anther shape: Lanceolate or globose. Anther length: About 1             mm to 10 mm. Anther color: Close to 187B. Amount of pollen:             Scarce. Pistils: Plants of the new Euphorbia do not develop             pistils.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Euphorbia have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Euphorbias. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Euphorbia have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 8° C. to about     40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Euphorbia plant named ‘Bonpridepcom’ as illustrated and described. 